Lizz Lund - Mina Kitchen 02 - Christmas Bizarre (29 page)

Pork Tenderloin
with Balsamic Raspberry Gastrique

An easy dish that looks like you fussed. Enjoy a good read while you wait.

1 pork tenderloin (averages 1lb. to 1 ¼ lbs.)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Olive oil

Crushed rosemary leaves, about 1 teaspoon

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

1 heaping teaspoon raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 425-degrees F. Spray the roasting pan with the baking spray.

Place the pork tenderloin in the roasting pan, and liberally rub with olive oil. Sprinkle the rosemary leaves over the top and sides, as well as salt and pepper.  Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan (2-3 tablespoons) to avoid sticking.

Place in oven and cook until the top appears brown. When brown, remove the meat from the oven (it will not be cooked at this point). Lower the temperature to 350-degrees F. Once the new setting is reached, return the meat to the oven (if you keep the meat in the oven while waiting for the temperature to adjust, you will risk overcooking/drying the meat as these are usually very small/lean cuts of meat.)

In a small saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar and sugar together and stir until completely blended, much like a simple syrup. Add the raspberry jam a little at a time, to taste.
Heat until ingredients are completely dissolved, and the sauce reaches a thick consistency.

To serve: let the tenderloin rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Arrange slices on a platter, with the gastrique in a separate container for individual serving.

Serves 4 adults, approximately.

Suggested sides:  roasted vegetables; red potatoes, onions, carrots, little parsnip, baby beets.  Other sides: sautéed zucchini; cauliflower; baby carrots.

Roast Cornish Game Hens with Pomegranate-Hoisin Glaze

Mina used a duck for her version; but I’m averse to blow-drying in the kitchen. Also, the hens are pretty to serve whole on a platter (if they are small). If they are large enough for 2 adult portions, prepare by cutting in half prior to baking, then arranging the cooked halves on a serving platter.

4 small Cornish game hens (or, 2 larger hens)

4 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup pomegranate juice

1 cup
Hoisin sauce

1
tablespoon brown sugar

Baking spray

Let the butter become soft, at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Spray the roasting pan with baking spray.

Rinse and clean the hens, discarding any enclosed giblets, etc. (If you are using larger birds and wish to half them, cut them in half at this point.) Place in roasting ban and pat dry.

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with the smoked paprika. Liberally rub the butter mixture over the skin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place into the oven and bake, uncovered, until the birds are almost cooked, about 45 minutes – 1 hours (depending on size).

While the hens are baking: in a small saucepan, mix together and heat the pomegranate juice, Hoisin sauce and brown sugar until everything is blended, and the consistency is similar to barbeque sauce, but a bit thinner.

Remove hens from oven, and coat them with the pomegranate-hoisin sauce mixture. Return to oven, lowering the temperature to 300-degress F (to avoid burning the sugar in the sauce; if your oven runs hot, you might want to lower more but adjust your cooking time, it will take longer to finish baking the birds.)

To serve: allow the birds to rest for 5-10 minutes before placing on servicing platter. 

Serves 4 adults, approximately.

Suggested sides:  wild rice, asparagus (baked or grilled), creamed onions, spring salad.